A day like every other
by Niyin
Summary: It's just a normal day in Merlin's life, a day like every other... is it? Only a little oneshot about a "normal" day in Merlin's life.


**Author's Note:  
>Hi there :)!<br>This is just a oneshot of a day in Merlin's life. It also happens to be my first fanfic (or at least the first one I finished- I know, big deal with it being a oneshot, but still.) and I'm a little proud of it though at the same time very unsure. So I would appreciate any reviews very much.  
>The story takes place between season 2 and 3, though I haven't found any spoilers.<br>It is rated T for some blood, but I'm not entirely sure about that- what do you think, is it T or K+?  
>I checked this through, but there might still be some mistakes (I only learn English at school and from other fanfics), so if you find any, please point them out.<br>Now, thanks for reading this and have fun! :D**

**Disclaimer: Oh, I almost forgot... and no, I do not own Merlin. Would be a really stupid idea, since I'm not even British and would probably muck the show up. So let's be glad I don't own it...**

**Here's the (partly) corrected version... :).**

It was just like every other day.  
>And that's what was wrong.<p>

To begin with, the morning. He had overslept a little. Like always. Hell, what did Arthur expect with giving him enough chores to work until late in the night?  
>However, when Gaius woke him, the sun already shone through his little window, sparkling the floor with tiny golden spots and reminding him of the words by a specific prat yesterday: "Bright and early, Merlin. We are going on a hunt and when you wake me up at sunrise I expect everything to be ready." Oh, heck. Sometimes he just thought Arthur did this deliberately.<p>

"You are late, Merlin. Better get moving" Gaius reminded him before his ward's mind could wander off further. Merlin just sighed, but he finally managed to jump out of his bed (literally- else he often wouldn't get out under the warm blanket. He would just stay there another few minutes- and wake up hours later to a _very_ irritated Prince) and got ready. No time for breakfast today- but he was used to that after nearly 3 years as Arthur's servant. Now, the equipment. Provisions for a day. Horses.  
>Arthur.<p>

Well, one thing at a time. With another small sigh and a quick "Goodbye!" to Gaius, the young warlock set off to the kitchens.

Luckily the chief cook, Maryse, had taken the lank boy to her heart soon after his arrive in Camelot- or rather saw him as a new challenge for her cooking skills. ("Now, let's see if we can't coddle you up a little" to tell the exact words.) So when Merlin rushed in she welcomed him with a warm smile, only to push a package in his hands before he could even open his mouth to ask her if she might prepare the food. The cook responded his confused, questioning look with raised eye brows. "I heard about the hunt yesterday evening. Only wondered when you would barge in."

Merlin felt the tips of his ears redden as she burst into laughter.  
>"You've just saved my life, Mary."<p>

He sent her a wide and somewhat guilty smile which she instantly returned. "You're welcome. Just remember and drop by when you have any more time later, would you?" She grinned at his thankful nod. "Now, run. The Prince doesn't like waiting."

The cook shook her head softly and chuckled as she watched Merlin storming off again, almost stumbling over a pile of woods on the floor.

The stables where deserted at this time of the day as was the armory. Merlin grinned slightly. Today for once luck seemed to be on his side. It only took two golden flashes of his eyes and a couple of mumbled words to pack the equipment and saddle two horses. They didn't even flinch anymore, long used to being taken care of by magic.  
>Only one task left now: Arthur.<p>

When Merlin reached the Prince's chambers he had to pause, panting. So much running around without breakfast really wasn't fun, however the others might laugh when he ran by.  
>Though obviously, he hadn't been fast enough, for as Merlin stormed in (as always without knocking), Arthur already sat fully dressed at the table. (Kind of impressive, that- Merlin didn't think he would manage to dress all himself. Imagine- Arthur and <em>dressing himself!<em>)  
>The furious gaze the Prince gave him seemed to undermine his supposition of being late.<p>

"What the hell has taken you so long, _Mer_lin?" his master all but yelled. Merlin choked down the witty reply ready on the tip of his tongue. It wouldn't do him any good to anger Arthur further.

"And where is my breakfast?"

Merlin looked at his empty hands and then back up at the Prince with a weary smile.

"I knew I'd forgotten something."

Arthur shook his head disbelieving and was about to start a lecture, when someone knocked and a young servant with curly red hair peaked in. "Sire? The cook sent me with your breakfast."

Merlin let out his breath. _Thank you again, Maryse._ She really became some kind of life-saviour.  
>Then he noticed Arthur looking at him meaningful as the boy put a plate of food on the table and vanished again with a deep bow.<p>

"See, Merlin? Knocking, bowing and _Sire_! Maybe I should tell him to give you a few lessons in servitude." Merlin inwardly groaned as he remembered George's lessons. It was nothing he wanted to do again soon. Given the smirk on his face, Arthur also thought of the other servant.

"Everything is ready for the hunt, oh dear _Sire_."

The so-called nodded approvingly. "You should call me that more often."

"Prat" Merlin muttered under his breath. Arthur looked up from his breakfast and rose one brow.

"What was that, _Mer_lin? You want me to make it true?"

"No, no. Rats. I said 'Rats'. There were some in the stables, spooking the horses. That's what took me so long" his servant replied without so much as batting an eyelid. Arthur let out a short bark of laughter, quickly covered by a cough.

"So, you're at least learning how to lie?"

Merlin looked at him with big innocent eyes before giving in to a sheepish grin.

"I'm always improving."

This time Arthur couldn't hide his laughter and Merlin smiled back in return. _If you knew..._

Images of the Dragon, Will, Balinor, Freya flashed before his eyes and Merlin quickly changed the subject to prevent himself from thinking further. Not-remembering was his only strategy against the pain of loss and had also worked out quite well until now. He just couldn't give in to the memories- they were like a huge soaring wound in his mind, infecting everything that came too close with their fire. He didn't know if he ever would be able to return after falling in that blackness.  
>So it just <em>couldn't <em>happen.

"So... you are really able to dress yourself? Or has another servant helped you instead of me?" he asked in a demonstratively light tone. Arthur didn't notice his sudden change of mood- but then again, he never did. _Definitely improving_, Merlin thought bitterly.

"You know, _Mer_lin, I'm not completely useless."

The warlock glanced at the already made bed. "Sure" he answered, not even trying to cover his suspicious tone. Arthur followed Merlin's gaze and now it was his time to change the topic- although not as subtle as his servant before.

"You said you managed to get everything ready?" he asked, pushing the empty plate over the table. "You want me to believe you're actually a _decent_ servant once?"

Merlin gave his best at looking deeply hurt. "You know, _Ar_thur, I'm not completely useless" he answered in a perfect imitation of his master's tone and then quickly ducked as a goblet flew towards his head.

Arthur growled, but suddenly a new thought seemed to struck him, and the Prince smirked back in a manner Merlin didn't like at all. "If you you're so fond of being useful, I'm sure you will be happy to wash my clothes, polish my armor, sharpen my sword, tidy up my room and muck out the stables after we're back."

Merlin's smile abruptly vanished and he groaned loud, much to Arthur's open smugness.  
>Gaius had already ordered him to go fetch some of the herbs he had run out of as soon as they returned. "But-"<p>

"No 'but's, Merlin" Arthur interrupted him. "Now, come on, the deers won't wait" he added, shoving his chair back. Merlin could only follow his master outside, for once hoping for a good hunt with lots of prey so Arthur might be in a good enough mood to forget his additional chores. Luck had been with him this morning, right? So surely it would last a little longer?

Apparently either luck was too busy somewhere else or it just didn't care about tired servants with a huge destiny. Whichever it was, the end was the same. When the Prince and the warlock returned with only a rabbit- of course all Merlin's fault, "you stumbling idiot would scare away every animal in a few miles distance"- but instead had a quick encounter with a group of bandits (which Arthur finished whilst Merlin hid in the mud, and naturally all the roots and branches helped on their own accord) Arthur's mood was not exactly great. More like the opposite.

Means he didn't forget any of the chores. Plus the errands Merlin had to run for Gaius. Yeah, great. Now his mood, too, was just _a little_ worse. Oh, and he would have to remember serving the Prince at the banquet the King gave this evening for some visiting Lords.

_As if I've nothing else to do._

What had Mary said? "Visit me when you have some more time." _Doesn't look like I will see her soon_ he thought with a pang of regret. He was still hungry, after all, with nothing to eat the whole day so far.

In the end, Greg- one of the stable boys he had befriended during his first days in Camelot- had to remind Merlin of the banquet and took up finishing the stables. Even so he barely had time to change before running off _again_, his whole body sore and tired and hungry and smelling slightly of horses. When he finally raced to the Great Hall he wasn't _very_ late, but still got a rather annoyed look from Arthur. Merlin held his gaze irritated. What was he supposed to do? Magic his chores with Uther next door? At least he had managed it in time. Barely.

During the banquet he got more and more tired, a few times his head almost sank to his chest and his eyes closed all on their own before a laughter or the clattering of cutlery made him jump and snap them open again. Standing behind Arthur, the young warlock distracted himself by examining the two Lords- father and son- and their own servants closer. Lord Binnet and his son- Sebastian, if Merlin had heard correctly- looked very much the same, the latter a younger figure of the former. Both were rather slim but muscular and tall, with dark brown, in case if Lord Binnet slightly grey, hair and a pair of intelligent brown eyes above their big noses. The older's eyes were surrounded by fine twinkles of laughing while his son's hair was a little brighter, light brown. The servant right behind them was almost as tall as his masters with short dark hair and sharp grey eyes that scanned the room continuously. They were all dressed in black, although the servant wore the crest of the House Binnet- a blue falcon- on his chest.

Merlin already wanted to look away and search for something more interesting to keep him awake, when he suddenly froze, his eyes hooked on a glitter at the man's brown boots. He could hardly make them out by leaning forward, filling the King's goblet with wine as he did so. There was it again, a sudden reflection when the other servant moved.

Merlin felt his heartbeat fasten. The man's trousers slid up a few centimetres as he too leaned forward, and there, between the boot and leg was... Merlin tried to hide his sharp gasp. A knife. He quickly looked around. None of the others had seen it, no one had heard his gasp... apart from, as his luck was, the man himself. Grey eyes bore into blue, and in an instant the other man moved, pulling the knife out and throwing. Merlin felt like in a bad dream. The King and Lords still hadn't noticed the danger, chatting loudly, but the warlock didn't hear any of it. His eyes were fixed on the flying knife, glistening deadly beautiful in the light of the candles. Arthur, too, saw it; Merlin could feel him tense and freeze as the weapon flew towards him. It was like time had slowed down, though this time not because of magic, and still the knife moved far too fast for Merlin to think of any spell. From Arthur he couldn't expect help either, the Prince sat like a deer in headlights, staring with wide eyes at his nearing death.

There was no time for magic, for thoughts or warnings, for nothing... so Merlin took the only remaining possibility. Action.

The moment he moved, time abruptly increased back to normal. And then- not quite knowing, how- the young warlock suddenly was in front of Arthur, protecting the Prince with his own body. Merlin gasped as something hat him hard, knocking the air off his lungs. One moment he was flying, the next he lay curled up on the floor again. Arthur was there, over him, shouting furiously and grasping Merlin. It seemed like the Prince was yelling at him, though he really couldn't understand why. Everything was a blur, like he was watching from far away. What had happened? Merlin tried to lift, to sit up, but Arthur only drew him closer, holding, protecting him from the hell that had broken loose around them. Everyone seemed to shout and run, men everywhere, there hadn't been so many a moment ago, had there?

And then, suddenly, it hit him again, erasing all other thoughts. A hot, stinging pain shot through Merlin's left chest, leaving him in flames, and to his surprise he found that he just couldn't breathe anymore. His vision was filling with bloody red, and someone- he couldn't quite recall, who- next to him cried out; words like "Help" and "Gaius" and then only his name, over and over again. There was a face in the red, blond hair and blue eyes. And then the red was gone, making way to an endless, peaceful blackness.

The first thing he noticed when awaking were the voices, two or three, talking quietly next to him and- although how he knew this Merlin didn't know- about him. Then came the pain, like someone had enlightened a fire in his chest. As he groaned in agony, the voices stopped and he heard quick steps before somebody carefully sat him upright and supported him with a few pillows. Cool ceramic was pressed against his lips and he opened his dry mouth quickly to swallow the fresh water.

"Merlin?" one of the voices asked, and an instant later he remembered. He knew this voice.

"Gaius?" Merlin mumbled, creaking one eye open. "What...?"

His surroundings were blurry and he had to blink a few times to make out the Physician's chambers he lay in and Gaius himself. His mentor shut him with a small smile and handed him a little bottle, making sure Merlin could hold it before letting go of his hand. "Drink that, it's a painkiller. You should feel better soon."

Merlin wrinkled his forehead and sniffed carefully at the drink. "No... no sleeping drugs?" he asked cautiously, being reminded of earlier occurrences. Gaius grinned somewhat wickedly at the mistrust but shook his head. "No, just a painkiller this time. If I wanted you to sleep you would be snoring by now." He looked meaningful at the empty cup. "Now drink."

Merlin still didn't look convinced, though he downed the whole thing quickly and grimaced. "Can't you do anything about the taste?" Gaius shrugged apologetically. At least he didn't feel like burning alive anymore.

"You gave us quite a fright, Merlin. Please, don't do something like that ever again."

Now it was Merlin's time to look apologetic. "I'm sorry, Gaius, but you know..." Then it dawned him. That strange look the physician gave him, the stress on... "Wait- _us_?" he asked confused. Gaius relaxed barely visible.

"Yeah" sounded a voice from behind him, making Merlin jump. "What the hell were you thinking, taking that knife? Guinevere was interminably worried!" Merlin shifted at the accusing tone.

"_I was so worried about you Merlin. Thank you for saving my life again." – "Oh, you're welcome. Just one of my daily chores." _Then he frowned, deciding to ignore the gaze burning in his back.

"How long have I been out? And where's Gwen?"

Gaius shot Arthur a disapproving look before he turned back to Merlin._  
>Obviously we were thinking pretty much the same.<em>

"It's not as bad as it looks. Although you're really lucky that nothing vital was hurt. The wound isn't too deep either, so you were only unconscious for a few hours. Gwen has just gone outside to fetch some more water. She should be back-" The door opened and Gwen entered with a large bucket of water, giving their little group a quick glance before she ran at them and gave Merlin a tight hug.

"Merlin! You're back!" The young warlock groaned quietly as she squeezed his hurt chest and Gwen instantly backed away to examine him with big worried eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry... I mean, I didn't want to hurt you, I just... well, I guess... I'm just happy you're back" she finished, reddening slightly, but Merlin only gave her a wide smile. "Thank you, Gwen."  
>She returned it and then quickly glanced at Arthur. Gaius, too, seemed to look at the Prince.<p>

"Gwen, I still need some herbs from the market. Would you mind accompanying me?" Merlin's gaze flickered between the two of them. Given their glance on Arthur, he had a pretty good idea of what was going on. And the young warlock didn't look forward to it. His eyes rested big and pleading on Gwen, but the maid quickly looked away and smiled at Gaius.

"Of course not. See you, Merlin. Prince Arthur."

With a small encouraging nod the two of them left.  
>Arthur sat down on the now empty bench. A few minutes no one said anything, then Merlin cleared his throat nervously.<p>

"I'm pretty tired, Sire. May I please go to sleep?"

Arthur didn't even notice his servant had actually addressed him correctly. "You can sleep after we have talked."

Merlin pouted. "What is there to talk about?"

Arthur stared at him. "What is there to talk about?" he repeated disbelieving. "You took a dagger in the chest for me, that's it! What the hell were you thinking? Do you think you're my bodyguard or something? Because you aren't. You aren't even a knight! You are a mere servant and as such shouldn't risk your life for me!" He stopped a moment, breathing hard, before he jumped up and started pacing the small room. "Hell, _what_ were you thinking?"

Merlin looked back at him hurt. _No, I'm definitely not a bodyguard. They would be _paid_ for their work instead of getting shouted at._Why couldn't Arthur just once be a little grateful?

"I don't know what I was thinking! But after all it's still my life, _I _can decide what to do with it. I risk my life every time we go slaying another beast or get in an ambush or Camelot is attacked- I've risked it in the past and I will do the same in the future!" Merlin breathed deep to calm himself and searched the Prince's eyes. He understood that Arthur didn't want others to die for him or in his place. It was good the Prince wasn't like his father, that he didn't believe a servant's life to be worthless or even worth less. But still...

"I know I'm a servant, you hardly let me forget that. But it is _my_ life, and I decided to use it in saving yours" he conjured Arthur. "That's not something I was told to do-" _Well, at least not only- _"It's _my_ decision. And one day you'll be king. You have the power to unite the lands of Albion, it's _you_ who can bring these lands peace. Not me, not anyone else. But if you get yourself killed beforehand, that will never happen" he gave Arthur a weak smile. "Don't dare think everyone risks their lives for you. I risk mine for peace and all people that will die if you're dead. You can't forbid me to give my life for them." He smirked. "You know, the world doesn't revolve around you, Prat."

Arthur had stopped pacing sometime during Merlin's speech and listened stunned. After the young warlock had finished a heavy silence spread. Merlin shifted uncomfortably and hissed as the pain shot through his chest once again. Next time he would definitely stop the knife with magic or just push Arthur down.

The Prince's eyes softened as he examined his hurting servant. With a step he was at the bed and helped Merlin to lie down. The boy gave him a thankful smile as he leaned back. Arthur shook his head.

"You know, sometimes you say something almost wise and the next moment you behave like an idiot again. What are you, Merlin? The wise man or the idiotic servant?"

Merlin raised a brow and tried to look as wise as possible. "The wise man of course!"

The Prince laughed. "As if there was any doubt."

His servant pouted a few moments, but then he too couldn't hold back the laughter anymore. It felt good to laugh together again (although to Merlin it rather hurt). Still, a laughing Arthur was so much better than an angry one.  
>They still smiled when Gaius came in to send the Prince away- "He's taken a knife, he needs his sleep".<p>

Though sleep wouldn't come easy this night. Merlin lay in his bed and examined the ceiling. While he waited for Gaius' sleeping draft to take over, the day passed again before his inner eyes. First of all, to run around and still be late, the hunt (How could someone possibly _enjoy_ hunting?) with the bandits, the long list of chores to do, almost being late again and then stand what felt like hours tired and sore behind Arthur and serve them. And as a felicitous end the assassin and knife-taking for which he hadn't gotten a "Thanks" but had been shouted at and- despite his own mood- had to lighten Arthur's. Not to forget his master being a prat throughout the whole thing.

Running around, serving the prat and saving said prat's royal backside without ever getting credit.

Merlin smiled ironically. Sounded like a very normal day. And he had had so high hopes that at least this day would be special. To have a little more luck, less work or a simple "Thank you" for his trouble.  
>But no. Maybe destiny just didn't like him. Merlin sighed softly, already half asleep. Not today. But perhaps next year? It would be such a nice gift... a gift... a smile ghosted over the boys face.<p>

"Happy Birthday, Merlin" he murmured to himself. The next moment Camelot's young warlock was fast asleep, dreaming of a special day.

**Thanks for reading :).  
>Now, what do you think? OK? Or should I better quit the idea of writing English Fanfiction?<strong>

**!ALERT!**

**If you want to see where my inspiration for this story came from, look at my profile. It's a really wonderful video :D.**


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